With official NFL workouts set to begin April 17, the knowledge that the B.C. Lions have a Biggie hole to fill at WILL (weak-side linebacker) assumes its full realization.

Adam Bighill, the CFL’s 2015 defensive player of the year, is a New Orleans Saint now and headed to the Big Easy. And although the Leos will miss him, a conga line is forming on the right to replace him.

Tony Burnett, a free-agent signing from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, has the inside track, but the competition for a starting spot at WILL will be fierce, with second-year players Cameron Ontko and Dyshawn Davis returning and rookie Micah Awe a captivating sleeper.

If the Lions’ player personnel people drone on and on about Awe (pronounced: Ah-way), it’s because he has a knack for knowing where the ball will be and then blazing a trail to it. It’s also because the 23-year-old Texan is, well, in the drone business.

Awe, who holds a degree in petroleum engineering from Texas Tech, is the operator of LeviMake, part of a fast-moving industry that uses drones equipped with HD cameras and GPS navigation for a variety of uses, including football, wedding and family videos, security, surveillance and package delivery.

“The more film I watch, the better I get,” Awe explained. “As a football application, the drone video helps an athlete see his weaknesses and correct them. I’m doing a lot of videos for players and coaches these days.”

Over the years, there was so much synergy between Bighill and middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian that a bro hug became a staple of their relationship. Yet, as back stories go, Awe and Elimimian have much in common, even though they have yet to be introduced.

Both Nigerian-born, they emigrated to the U.S. at an early age and were raised by parents who stressed the importance of education before athletics. Elimimian’s father, Isaac, is a retired university professor. Awe’s parents, Charles and Abigail, earned master’s degrees stateside after they left West Africa in 1997 by way of the visa lottery system.

“My family is high on education. It’s priority No. 1,” Awe said. “Honestly, I went to college with the idea of doing pre-med but I fell into the engineering route. My dad helped me with the decision.”

“Their stories (Awe and Elimimian) are similar, but their style of play is different,” explained Ryan Rigmaiden, the Lions’ director of U.S. scouting.

“Solly is more of a striker, a pure hitter in the box. That’s what sold him to the fans — impact hit after impact hit. It’s hard not to fall in love with that.

“Micah is capable of some of that, but he’s got more range and speed. He’s a chase and tackle guy — and a special player. He’s instinctive and smart, and I don’t just mean on the football field. He’s really suited to our (Canadian) game.”

In his senior year at Texas Tech, Awe led the Red Raiders with 126 total tackles (77 solo) and ranked second in the Big 12 in both categories. Considered undersized by the NFL at 6-0, 220 pounds (he’s added 10 pounds since then), Awe went undrafted in 2016 but later received an invite to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie mini-camp.

Signed to a contract, he was with Tampa Bay throughout the main training camp and pre-season and assigned to the practice squad, only to be released in September.

Awe later had workouts with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets before turning his sights to Canada.

“If you watch my tape, I have the speed to get there,” Awe said. “I’m aggressive and I don’t miss tackles. The thing that’s most exciting about playing in the CFL, honestly, is the bigger field. It usually means you need more speed — and that’s always been a part of my game, especially in the Big 12.”

His off-season workout partners include Adrian Phillips, a safety with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Jamar Wall, a defensive back with the Calgary Stampeders who, like Awe, played his college ball at Texas Tech.

“Jamar is not only pushing me, he’s speeding up my knowledge of the CFL,” Awe said.

Meanwhile, he’s helping others imagine their next field of dreams — in college or the pro ranks — by producing advanced eye-in-the-sky videos.

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